ARIL: Academic Researchand

Academic Writing

Sam-Ang Sam, PhD

Contents1 Academic Research & Writing2 Basic Steps in Creating a

Research Paper3 Basic Parts of a Research Paper4 Choosing a Research Topic5 Creating a Problem Statement

1 Academic Research & Writing

A research paper is an essay that has been enhanced to include information from researched sources and to include citations for those sources.   

This is a simple answer and explains the basic idea of a research paper.    

However, there are many other factors that must be considered in order to write a good research paper.

Academic Research & WritingThe most important factor in a good

research paper is that you must include yourself in the writing.    

That is, your paper must reflect your own thinking or analysis about your topic and the information that you find.    

Information might come from the Internet or books or journals or newspapers or magazines or surveys, or even your grandfather.    

Finding this information is called research.

Academic Research & WritingThere are basically two types of  research: primary research and secondary research.  Primary Research is original, new data that the researcher personally gathers by conducting surveys, experiments, interviews, fieldwork or direct observation.  

Academic Research & WritingSecondary Research uses data that have already been published.     That is, the researcher looks for

information on the Internet, or in books, or in journals, magazines, newspapers, reports or any other type of source where data can be found.      

Academic Research & WritingPapers are often written using a

combination of primary and secondary research.    

For this course, you will be asked to write a paper based on secondary research.

Think of a research paper as basically an essay: Introduction, body, and conclusion.    

Your essay will include what you already  know or think about a subject.    

To this essay, you will add research.    

Academic Research & WritingSpecifically, you will add

statements by experts or data that agree with your ideas and help you explain why you have reached your conclusions.

Remember, a good research paper is not just your ideas and opinions, and it is not just a collection of quotations and paraphrases that you put together.

Academic Research & WritingA good research paper is your ideas and

analysis supported by the best evidence you can find.  

As an example: Suppose you have been assigned to write a paper about the number one cause of traffic problems in Phnom Penh.    

First, you must read as many sources as you can find on this topic.    

A quick search of the Internet will turn up many sources that discuss traffic problems.

Academic Research & WritingYou might find studies conducted by

the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.    

You might find articles in newspapers, such as the Cambodia Daily or Phnom Penh Post or Rasmei Kampuchea.  

In addition, you could try non-electronic sources such as looking in a library for traffic manuals or other traffic related materials.

Academic Research & WritingYou could even invite the municipal

traffic police chief to grant you a brief personal interview.

Write notes when you find some interesting facts  in what you are reading.    

If someone has written or said or said something clever or makes an important statement, write it down, word for word, as a quote.    

Now, look at all your notes.

Academic Research & WritingYou should have many good ideas

about different causes of traffic problems.    

Choose the one that you think is the most important reason for traffic problems in Phnom Penh.    

This choice is your opinion based on information that you have researched.

This choice is the purpose of your paper, what you want to prove to your readers.      

Academic Research & Writing The point you want to prove to your readers  is

called a thesis.   In other words, your paper will try to convince your readers to agree with you that your thesis, that is, your beliefs, opinions and arguments, are valid.     Organize your ideas. Decide what you want to make the main points

of your argument.     Decide which data and quotes from your

research you want to use to support your main points.      

Start writing your paper.    

Academic Research & Writing Remember that your paper is organized as an

essay: Introduction, body, and conclusion.   When you include an idea, work or words that

come from someone else (your research), you must also attach a citation.      

You can even offer some ideas on how you think this problem could be solved.    

Conclude your paper.     Proofread and edit your paper.     Attach a reference list after the last page that

 lists all the sources you used to  write your paper.    

Congratulate yourself.     You are a hero.  

Academic Research & WritingThis is the kind of research paper

you will be asked to write most of  the time.      

Here is a summary of the basic steps described above.

2 Basic Stepsin Creating a Research

Paper1. Choose a general topic.  2.  Read as much as you can about your topic and take notes. 3.  Narrow your topic to a specific focus—your thesis.  4.  Organize your notes and make a tentative outline.  5.  Write the first draft of your paper.  Include citations and a reference list. 6.  Correct and edit your draft.  7.  Write the final draft.  

3 Basic Parts of a Research Paper

As mentioned above, a research paper is a kind of essay similar to the essays you have already learned to write.

Here is a summary of the basic parts of a research paper.  

Basic Parts of a Research Paper1. Cover Page2. Title Page    3. Abstract (Optional)  4. Introduction, including a thesis

statement  5. Body Paragraphs  6. Conclusion  7. References List

1. Cover Page

The cover page should be simple and undecorated.

It presents the topic, author, and course information.

2. Title Page

The title page should be simple and undecorated.

It presents the topic, author, and course information.

3. Abstract Abstract is optional. An abstract is an important part of long research

papers like theses and dissertations, the kind of paper you would write for a high degree like MA or PhD.

You will not need to include an abstract for the kind of research papers required in this class.

An abstract is a kind of introduction to how you have put your research paper together.

In an abstract, you explain the thesis of your paper clearly.

You mention the goals you had for your paper and what kind of research you conducted, how it was conducted, and what results were obtained.

4. IntroductionThe introduction gives

background information to explain why your topic is important.

The introduction is where you state your thesis which is the point or argument your paper is going to prove.

5. Body Paragraphs The body paragraphs are the heart of your

paper. Here is where you make statements to prove

your thesis. You back up these statements with evidence or

expert testimony. That is, here is where you use elements of your

research to support your statements. You lay out the facts you have discovered and

quote experts to support your arguments. In the body paragraphs, you use in-text citation

each time you use words or ideas that came from somewhere else, for your research.

6. ConclusionIn the conclusion, you summarize

the overall contents and how you have proven your thesis.

You can explain what you have learned from the process and make observations on what has been accomplished.

7. References ListThe references list is a detailed list of all the

sources you used to write your paper. Each entry in this list includes author

information, title information, and the exact place where the information was found.

It includes sources from where you specifically used information, ideas, or words.

It includes sources which added to your background knowledge even if you did not specifically quote or use the information directly in your paper.

4 Choosing a Research Topic

Now that you know what a research paper is, it is time to get started.

Getting started is often the hardest part. First, you will need to choose a topic. To begin, make sure to carefully review the

instructions your teacher has given you. Sometimes your teacher will give you a list of

topics to choose from and other times, you will have the freedom to choose your own.

If your teacher has given you specific instructions for the type of topic you must write about, be careful to follow the directions carefully.

Choosing a Research Topic If you have not been assigned a specific

topic, you will have the freedom to choose your own.

While it is nice to have a choice, sometimes choosing your own topic can be difficult.

It is important to choose a good topic, because it will make the researching and writing process much easier.

Below are some things you might want to consider to help you choose a good topic.

Choosing a Research TopicChoose a topic that interests you.You will be spending a lot of time

and energy researching and writing your paper.

It will be a much more pleasant experience if you are interested in the topic you chose.

Is there something related to your major or field of study that interests you?

Choosing a Research TopicMaybe you’re interested in a social issue,

something related to your hobbies, something you studied in another class, an article you read, or a movie you watched?

Or maybe there is something you want to know more about.

Choosing something that you want to learn about is a great way to stay interested in your project.

The more you are interested in your topic, the easier it will be to spend time and energy working on your research paper.

Choosing a Research TopicChoose a topic with enough available research to write your paper.If the topic you choose is too specific,

very recent, or too obscure, you might have trouble finding information for your paper.

For example, if you choose to write a paper on “The use of Facebook by PUC students,” you will have a very difficult time finding information.

Choosing a Research TopicThis might be a good topic if you were doing

primary research (gathering data), but for the purposes of writing a secondary research paper, you need to choose a topic that is somewhat well-known and well-researched so that you will be able to find enough information.

If you are having trouble finding information about your topic, you will have to change your topic.

This will waste a lot of valuable time and energy, and you may not be able to meet your deadline.

Choosing a Research TopicChoose a topic that is creative and interesting to your readers. Some topics have been researched over and over

again. You should choose a topic that is creative and

original. You don’t want your readers to be bored when they

read your paper. If you do choose a research topic that has been

written about many times before, can you find an interesting way to approach it?

It is important to choose a topic that is relevant and discusses something that others might be interested in reading about.

Choosing a Research Topico After thinking of a topic, it is important to

begin developing your topic. o For example, maybe you want to choose

the topic of “global warming.” o This is a very big and broad topic. o You need to begin narrowing it down. o For the purposes of this course, you are

not simply providing information or writing a report.

o You are choosing a topic to make an argument about.

Choosing a Research Topico You will have to gather information and then take

a position on or make an argument about the information.

o You will use research to support your argument. o If your topic is too big or broad, this will be very

difficult to do. o The size of your topic needs to match the size of

your paper. o If you are only supposed to write 3-5 pages, you

cannot possibly cover every aspect of global warming.

o So when you are developing your topic, make sure you keep the size of the assignment in mind.

Choosing a Research Topico So how do you narrow down your topic and

begin developing your ideas? o There are a few different ways to do this. o First, it is helpful to do some brainstorming.o You can brainstorm in a lot of different ways. o Think about different issues and keywords

related to your topic. o Sometimes simple searches on the Internet

can help you do this. o You might also want to talk about the topic

with a friend.

Choosing a Research Topico Often, the best way to narrow down

your topic is to start reading some research about it.

o Go to the library, check out books about it, or look the general topic up on the Internet.

o Coming up with a good research topic is a process.

o It doesn’t happen all at once. It will take time and lots of reading before you come up with your final research topic.

Choosing a Research Topico As you begin to brainstorm and come up

with ideas for your topic, it’s helpful to write down some notes.

o One way to do this is to make a list of all of the things you think of.

o Write down everything you have read about and any ideas that you have related to the topic.

o After doing this, you will have a lot of keywords and ideas to chose from.

o Identify the issues or related ideas that are most interesting to you.

Choosing a Research Topico In the example below, the student made a long

list of ideas related to the general topic “global warming” and then selected the ideas that were most interesting to her: causes related to human activity, international action, and countries cooperating.

o Your brainstorming might look different. That is okay.

o There is not one specific way that you are required to do it.

o The point of brainstorming is just to get some ideas down on paper and start narrowing down your topic.

Choosing a Research Topic: Example 1

Choosing a Research Topico Once you have a basic idea for the

topic you want to explore, continue to narrow down your topic by adding context.

o There are many ways to do this, but one way is to ask yourself some questions about your basic topic.

o The questions below might be helpful: Why, what, where, who, when?

Choosing a Research TopicWHY? Why is your topic interesting or important?  What do you think about it? Do you have an opinion? Why do you want to research it?

WHAT?  Do people have different opinions about the topic? What are the major issues or controversies related

to the topic? What are the different parts of your topic?  What is the problem?

Choosing a Research TopicWHERE (Geographical Context)?  Where is your topic located? Is it in a specific country, city, or neighborhood? Is there a specific location that is most

important to you concerning your topic?

WHO?  Who is involved in this topic or issue?  Does it affect people? If so, who? Do you know anyone or any organization

involved with this topic?

Choosing a Research TopicWHEN (Historical Context)?Is it happening now or did it

happen in the past? Will it happen in the future? When

was the topic most important? Should you focus on one time

period or do you want to talk about how the issue has changed over time?

Choosing a Research TopicTry to answer some of these

questions about your topic. Then decide which parts are most

important and interesting to you. After you ask yourself questions,

you will come up with a much more specific topic by choosing some of the ideas you wrote down.

Choosing a Research TopicAfter you’ve narrowed down your topic, it’s

helpful to turn your topic into a research question.

What do you want to find out about your topic?

This question may change as you begin your research.

That’s okay, but it’s important to formulate a question so that you know what kind of information you are looking for when you go to the library or begin searching for resources online.

Choosing a Research Topic: Example 2

Choosing a Research Topic Once you have a research question, you are ready to

start conducting your research so that you can answer the question in your paper.

The direction of the paper may change as you find information.

That is okay. Your research question is just meant to serve as a

guide and help you know what direction to go when you are looking for information and writing your paper.

The answer to your research question will be your thesis, the argument in your paper, as discussed in the previous chapter.

You can’t come up with your thesis or answer until you’ve done some research.

Choosing a Research TopicIn the next chapter, you will begin learning

how to locate information to answer your research question.

However, before you start doing your research, it is helpful to come up with some keywords related to your topic that you can use to search for books, articles, and other publications.

Below is an example of keywords the student might use to search for information related to her research question.

Choosing a Research Topic: Example 3

KeywordsGlobal warmingHuman activityClimate changeGreen-house gasesInternational cooperationInternational initiativesClimate talksInternational law

5 Creating a Problem Statement

Choosing a topic is different from creating a problem statement.

After you have chosen a topic, it does not mean that you have a problem statement.

Topic: Culture in the Making

Creating a Problem Statement Problem Statement: This study will

examine how culture is changed or evolved as human culture and society change and evolve themselves.

It shall, in particular, focus on the various aspects of culture in the making.

The words that make up your problem statement explicitly reveal your purpose.

Creating a Problem Statement You may choose your topic and

problem statement in order to:1. Understand a restricted set of

phenomena.2. Describe interrelations between

variables that are named in the statement, e.g., human, culture, society, time, space, need, adaptation, etc.

Creating a Problem Statement3. Offer potential solutions to a problem.4. Limit the range of a problem to a

single issue or question. Your problem statement provides a

framework for your entire writing. Your conclusion must match/address

your problem statement in the same way and manner that an answer must satisfy the question.

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